Who are the Manchester City most expensive signings? The Cityzens have spent a lot of money since the Abu Dhabi Group's takeover in 2008, and have yielded plenty of success from it.
However, reports of 115 charges from the Premier League for breaching their Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules threatens to tarnish their legacy, although the Sky Blues continue to win major silverware.
Could any of their reported transfer targets in this summer window crack the top five below in terms of expenditure? We will have to wait and see, but for now here are City's top five most expensive signings of all time…
Manchester City most expensive signings: The top 5
🏴 Jack Grealish
Aston Villa
£100m
🇭🇷 Josko Gvardiol
RB Leipzig
£77.6m
🇪🇸 Rodri
Atletico Madrid
£62.8m
🇵🇹 Ruben Dias
Benfica
£62m
🇩🇿 Riyad Mahrez
Leicester
£60m
1. Jack Grealish – £100m
Honours with Man City: Premier League (2022, 2023, 2024), UEFA Champions League (2023), FA Cup (2023), UEFA Super Cup (2023), FIFA Club World Cup (2023)
City's most expensive signing to date is Grealish, who they signed by activating his whopping £100m release clause at Aston Villa. For all of their levels of spending and compared to some other clubs, it is perhaps surprising to see them fork out this level of transfer fee only once.
It is debatable whether Grealish has been a success at City, as he has won plenty of silverware at the club. However, he has not always been first choice under Pep Guardiola and went into 2024/25 having only scored a measly 14 goals in 125 appearances as an attacker.
2. Josko Gvardiol – £77.6m
Honours with Man City: UEFA Super Cup (2023), Premier League (2024), FIFA Club World Cup (2023)
Gvardiol is one of the most expensive defenders of all time, but in his debut season at City in 2023/24, he looked worth every penny. Indeed, the Croatia international showed his versatility by being able to play both at left-back and as a central defender.
He also chipped in with crucial goals in City's title run-in, which saw them pip Arsenal to the Premier League crown for a second season in a row.
3. Rodri – £62.8m
Honours with Man City: FA Community Shield (2019), EFL Cup (2020, 2021), Premier League (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024), UEFA Champions League (2023), FA Cup (2023), UEFA Super Cup (2023), FIFA Club World Cup (2023)
Arguably one of City's best-ever signings in terms of value for money, Rodri comes third on this list after the club paid his release clause at Atletico Madrid. The Spain international is arguably their most important player, as they have lost on multiple occasions without having him in the side.
Rodri also showed his quality outside of club football by helping Spain win the most recent UEFA European Championships, and he is quite simply irreplaceable for both club and country.
It is for that reason Sunday 22nd September will go down as a bleak day for the Cityzens, as an injury sustained against Arsenal saw him (at best) ruled out for a majority of what remains of the current campaign.
4. Ruben Dias – £62m
Honours with Man City: EFL Cup (2021), Premier League (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024), UEFA Champions League (2023), FA Cup (2023), UEFA Super Cup (2023), FIFA Club World Cup (2023)
Dias has been a rock in the heart of City's defence for a number of seasons now, and he too has won just about every major honour imaginable during his time at the Etihad Stadium. He's been ever-present in City's run of four consecutive titles, and is still only 27 years of age, meaning that he is just about entering his prime years as a footballer.
5. Riyad Mahrez – £60m
Honours with Man City: FA Community Shield (2018, 2019), EFL Cup (2019, 2020, 2021), Premier League (2019, 2021, 2022, 2023), FA Cup (2019, 2023), UEFA Champions League (2023)
Last on our list is Mahrez, who has since left City to play his club football in the Saudi Pro League. He won several major honours during his time in England, including a shock Premier League triumph with Leicester City in 2015, which prompted his move to Manchester.
It should be noted that Dias' teammate at international level Joao Cancelo also cost the club £60m, but the Portuguese does not seem to be part of Guardiola's long-term plans despite a very successful couple of seasons at City.
Indeed, the full-back has been loaned out to Bayern Munich and FC Barcelona during his time at the Etihad, and the latter are reportedly interested in signing him again in this summer transfer window.
